Need advice please - don't know a thing

[Pumba101]

My friend is turning 18 soon. He drives a Volkswagen golf. It has the standard head unit that comes with the car. It sounds pretty pants at the moment. I'm looking into maybe getting him some speakers that will fit into the boot on the flap thing that covers the boot, that raises up and down with the door.

I was thinking about spending about £60? or am i completely way off?
Should i be looking for new? second hand?
Will his head unit run the speakers? will it require a new one?
What about amps?

Honestly i dont have a clue about any of this and I would greatly appreciate some help as it is for his 18th.

[Ayub]

£60 wont get you much in terms of "system".

£80 is quite realstic for a good quality pair of 6x9 rer shelf speakers.

[Pumba101]

£80 it is then.
But will these run off his current head unit ok?

[paul_mcneil]

I'd advise you to get some custom fit speakers. if you get 6x9s you need to ensure there's enough space for them to be fitted, cutting the parcel shelf, etc, and will need wiring into the car, either directly to the head unit or to the wires for the original speakers, which would need to be disconnected.

With custom fit you'll simply replace the original speakers with a much better quality speaker and would make for an easier installation

You haven't said which shape/mk golf it is so i cant tell you much more about any custom fits.

[Pumba101]

I've found out. It's a 2003 model. the 1.6 petrol.

[Leaat23]

Personally I would replace the head unit FIRST as standard fit head units are never of a high quality, apart from some in very high end cars, but if you want to replace the speakers then that is your choice.

Don't bother with 6x9's, there seen as a bit of a joke in the real world of car audio, go for a speaker that will replace the standard FRONT door speakers, this is where the sound stage is, EG you will hear them better than the rear ones and clarity of sound will improve, £80 would buy you a pair of components, although they would be the cheaper end of the market, component means a separate mid/bass speaker and tweeter with separate crossovers, these can be difficult to fit because of the tweeter and crossover having to be fitted separately. If this seems too much then a nice pair or co-axial speakers(bass & tweeter in ONE speaker, easier to fit) would be a vast improvement over the standard fit speakers. I know that replacing door speakers means more work but the effort is WELL worth it in the end.

The other thing about the 6x9's is that they will be on display all the time, some chav comes along, smashes the rear window and nicks them custom fits are known as a stealth install because a potential thief don't know they are fitted

To fit custom speakers to a VW Golf 2003 model you will definitely need THESE

A CHEAP pair of component speaker would be THESE

A decent pair of CO-AXIAL speakers would be THESE

This keeps you within your original budget, but do have a look around CAD;s web site if your not happy with my choice.

Hopefully this has helped you out a little

[Pumba101]

Hey, that's great, thanks a lot.
I'm not too sure, but in the 2003 golf are there speakers in the rear doors?
If so, would your recomendations fit?
I think i'd go for the CO-AXIAL ones.
I think a friend and myself are getting together on this one.
So i might buy a pair of speakers for his front and rear doors.
This would leave my friend to buy a head unit. If i were to get those pioneer speakers, what head unit would you recomend for about £50 +

[Leaat23]

As far as I can tell the rear speakers are the same size front and rear in the golf, you will need adaptors for front or rear, so the speakers I recommended will fit both front and rear.

£50 for a head unit is going to be pushing it a little but there are some 'cheap' units about, CLICK HERE out of these I would leave the Sony alone Pioneer, Kenwood and JVC all make decent units.

You may also need a facia adaptor for the head unit to fit correctly HEREPlease check this before buying a head unit.

[Pumba101]

Ok, well, maybe it shall have to be more than £50.
At the moment i'm planning on getting 4x those pioneer speakers you recomended, for the front and rear doors.

A new head unit, the ones i have seen are 4 x ?W
Are there any 6 x ?W as he may want to put more speakers on the parcel shelf. Or would there be no need for this?

[Leaat23]

No, all headunit have 4 channels only EG 4 x 45 watts, to run another pairs of speakers you are then going to have to use an amp.